Energy-saving Thermocill turns to hemp in bid to further reduce carbon emissions

An energy-saving device that greatly reduces carbon emissions looks set to go one step further in helping UK households reduce their impact on the environment. 

Thermocill, a simple device that fits under a window board and redirects heat from a radiator to form a curtain of insulating heat inside the glazing, now aims to be manufactured entirely from hemp, following recent trials.

Hemp, a product made from the cannabis plant, has been used in building materials for decades. However, its potential role in enabling a more sustainable, low-carbon future is now becoming more widely recognised.

Thermocill – currently made from 100% recycled nylon – helps to heat up a room quicker and saves on a building’s energy bills, boasting impressive green credentials.

Designed, optimised and tested in the UK by world-class scientists, the results of the innovative device are all verified by the Energy Saving Trust.

Recent developments are now looking into whether the device could be made from hemp. The environmental sustainability of this natural material comes from the fact that it absorbs carbon dioxide from the air as it grows.

Thermocill’s award-winning inventor Keith Rimmer, based in Warrington, said: “Providing households with an all-round sustainable solution that has a positive impact on the climate, from both its application and manufacture, has always been the plan.

“Hemp is clearly going to become more important in the drive for a more sustainable construction industry. In the drive to use less plastic, hemp is the way of the future. 

“We believe Thermocill will be the very first hemp-based household energy-saving solution, and is a great example of how ideas and innovations can help save the planet. We’re proud to be playing our part leading the way in more wide-spread application of hemp for a sustainable future.”

Hemp is easy and quick to grow and requires very little energy to process. It’s non-toxic, won’t pollute landfills, soil, oceans or waterways and is stronger than petroleum-based plastic alternatives.

Early stages of the trial by the UK’s national advanced material researchers and innovators, Henry Royce Institute, suggest hemp could be ideal for Thermocill. Further tests are currently underway in conjunction with manufacturers of the device, Blackburn-based MGS Technical Plastics.

Already a council in the North West has agreed to initially install Thermocill in 2,000 homes across their 22,000 properties.

In 2013 Keith’s EcoPod eco-friendly heating system used in tall buildings received the Ernst & Young Entrepreneurial Award for Cleantech and Energy and ‘Innovator award’ at the North West Business Masters Awards.